Audiobook · read by volunteers
Shadows
George MacDonald (1824–1905)
Read by Catharine Eastman · 2 chapters · 1 h 28
About the book
Old Ralph Rinkelmann earned his living by comic sketches and very nearly lost it again with tragic poems. That, of course, made him exactly the right person to be chosen king of the fairies. George MacDonald’s story begins with this gentle absurdity and moves into a world where the boundary between the ordinary and the magical is thin. MacDonald, a Scottish author, poet and minister, had a talent for stories in which wonder and moral seriousness go together, and his fairy tales were admired by writers who followed him. This one is divided into two sections, short enough to be heard in an afternoon. Two recordings, about an hour and a half, for lovers of fantasy and of tales told with quiet humour.
Introduction
George MacDonald (10 December 1824 - 18 September 1905) was a Scottish author, poet and Christian minister. Although he is no longer widely known, he was a pioneer of modern fantasy literature and an influence on many later writers. His fairy tales for children and adults combine imaginative invention with a spiritual seriousness that is never preachy.
Shadows, which dates from 1893, begins with a comic setup: an old man who makes his living from humorous sketches and who nearly ruins himself with tragic poems is chosen to be king of the fairies. From this amusing starting point the story moves among the shadows that cast their pictures on the walls.
Readers of MacDonald often remark on the way his stories work on several levels at once. Children may enjoy the adventure and the strangeness, while older listeners may notice the thoughtful commentary on art, imagination and human weakness. Nothing is forced.
This is a very short work, made up of two sections, and the recording lasts about an hour and a half. It was read by a LibriVox volunteer. It would be a good choice for anyone who enjoys classic fairy tales, for those curious about the roots of English-language fantasy, and for listeners who like a story that is both light and thoughtful. Fans of fantasy who like to trace the history of the genre will find this a small but charming example of the form as it was practised by one of its founders.
Public domain
George MacDonald died in 1905: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text